I've not once slighted PJ for his spectacular cinematography, the look and feel of Middle-earth with the assists of Lee, Howe and Weta, or even switching dialogue from one book character to another (which was done in most instances to marvelous effect).

However, it is the unnecessary script changes (yes, unnecessary and blithely inane in most instances) that prove most irksome and has left the movies unwatchable for me. One is often left scratching their head at some of the "creative license" taken with the original plot -- changes that did not in any way improve upon the original story:

Elrond whining about "Arwen is dying", the goofy warg attack with gangrel hyena-like creatures and Aragorn falling off a cliff (only to be resuscitated by a french kiss from his horse), the cartoonish disennoblement of Denethor, the debasement of Faramir (and the long sequence of Faramir dragging Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath with Frodo offering the Ring to a Nazgul), the green scrubbing bubbles eradicating Sauron's army from Minas Tirith while Legolas surfs down a Mumakil's trunk (thus rendering Rohan's incredibly brave charge utterly useless), the WiKi breaking Gandalf's staff and knocking him to the ground like some dottering old fool -- the list is endless, and not some mere episodic annoyance.

The host of changes were senseless and detracted from the original story and account for countless minutes of screen time better served for character development (not character assassination) or sequences from the original plot that were thought unnecessary in comparison to the scriptwriters' self-aggrandizement (and couldn't we all have lived without the fifteen or so minutes of Aragorn falling off a cliff, or Faramir dragging the hobbits to Osgiliath? They served no important purpose in furthering the plot). Jackson, Boyens, et al, thought they could improvise better, but frankly it was a waste of time. The films most defintitely would be better, and sadly it did not require rocket science to leave well enough alone.

Honestly, wasn't it more stirring hearing phrases uttered from Tolkien's original story (no matter which character said the dialogue) rather than "Arwen is dying" or "Sam, go home", or Frodo, alone and wounded, bravely fending off the Nazgul at the Ford, rather than Xenarwen calling up the flood without the aid of a Ring of Power? Where'd she get that power, and why didn't she just go and defeat Sauron single-handedly?

And now PJ wants to stretch The Hobbit into three movies? Does anyone else get the sinking feeling that the comedic, linear quasi-epic of a hapless and fat Hobbit turned unlikely and lucky hero that has endeared itself to generations of loyal readers will be completely lost in a flood of unsupported and fan-fictional subplots where Tauriel and handsomely undwarf-like dwarves cavort about with Mary-Sue action-adventure poses, spouting ludicrous dialogue?

I fear the scripting more than I would Smaug in person.

Peter Jackson offers great promise with his films. The visual uniqueness, the virtual depth and breadth of his conception of Middle-earth are at times magnificent, leaving one viscerally tingling and emotionally awed. He may be a Michaelangelo from a visual presentation point, but out of the mouth of such Olympian figures comes the voice of Donald Duck.

That is what is most infuriating: to see such awesome sights and be disappointed by so much extraneous and inept material. Please visit my blog...The Dark Elf File...a slighty skewed journal of music and literary comment, fan-fiction and interminable essays.